Brussels is a heterogeneous city, full of paradoxes. It is the capital city of several entities – of the Belgian regions of Brussels-Capital and Flanders, of the Flemish and Francophone Communities, of the Kingdom of Belgium... and of Europe, yet it is also a small city of one million inhabitants, covering 160 square kilometres.

It has grown in a somewhat haphazard manner, with no overall style or grand plan: the mediaeval city centre grew up around the east-west European trade route and was largely re-built in the nineteenth century, then altered again following the construction of the tunnel for the River Senne in the

1870s and the railway tunnel linking the North and South stations built between 1902 and 1952.

Further changes were made by the conversion of the districts around the North station and the Avenue Louise from residential to business use, the development of the European district, and by the construction of office towers around the historic city centre.

By going to the tops of tall buildings, participants can clearly see the consequences of these changes on the cityscape. Residents who attempted to oppose the changes will explain the current town-planning challenges from a variety of unusual viewpoints.